Voltaic armor



(No Model.)

A. I. SCOTT. VOLTAIG ARMOR.

Patented May 20, 1890.

UNITEDA STATES ATENT FFICE.

ALBERT I. SCOTT, OF ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

VOLTAIC ARMOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,420, dated May 20,1890.

Application filed February 20, 1890. Serial No. 341,232. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT I. SCOTT, a resid ent of Allegheny, in thecounty of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Voltaic Armor; and I do hereby declare thefollowing tobe a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to whatis termed voltaie armor or voltaic piles formedicinal purposes, its object being to provide a voltaic armor whichcan be quickly and cheaply constructed, is adapted for use in connectionwith the ordinary shoe-soles, belts, or bands -in which such armor isemployed, and which has special advantages both as to the formation ofthe current, the connecting` together of the elements, and themaintaining of the same in a bright or unoxidized condition, such as isfound desirable in maintaining the electric current within the same.

In my improved armor the several plates or elements are connectedtogether by means of a head on the one plate engaging with a slot on theother, the several plates being thus connected together, so as to form aflexible strip composed of the different elemen t-plates, and suchstrips being connected to the supporting-body, either the belt orinsole, at the ends thereof.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willdescribe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figurel is a bottom view of an insole having my invention appliedto it. Fig. 2 is a top or face View thereof. Fig. 3 is a view of theseparate plates or elements employed. Fig. 4 is a view of another formof plate embodying the invention, as will be hereinafter described; andFig. 5 is an under face perspective view of two of the element-plates,showing the method of connecting the plates together. i

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

I may employ my invention in connection with any voltaic armor-such asinsoles, belts, hat-bands, dac-the invention being illustratedinconnection with insoles. The inner sole or supporting-body a can beformed of any suitable material, and attached to it is the flexiblestrip b, forming the battery or pile. This strip is formed of thedifferent elements arranged alternately-for example, the elements cbeing of copper while the elements d are of zinc'. The severalelement-plates are connected together, so as to form the flexible stripor pile, each plate having at one end thereof a T-shaped head e, andhaving therein a slot or hole f, into which this head enters. Theelements are made of thin sheets, which can be easily bent, and the slotf can be made simply to correspond with the neck g of each T-head, onearm of the head being bent down and the other end being insertedsidewise into the slot, while the bent arm is passed directly into thesame, and is then bent straight, so securing the two element-platestogether. The plates maybe secured together in another simple way, suchas shown in Fig. 4, the slot f being elongated in the direction of thelength of the plate, as at h, and'in connecting together the two plates,the one plate being turned at right angles to the other, one arm of theT- head being inserted lengthwise into the slot and the other passinginto the slot through the elongated portion h thereof, and the platesbeing then turned into line with each other, when the arms of the T-headwill lieacross the slot. The end plates 7o of the flexible strip aresecured directly to the insole, this being done by'rivets extendingthrough the same, as at Z, and in case the flexible strip forming thepile is employed on the under surface of. the sole these rivets Z formcontact-points for the foot of the wearer, so forming a continuouscircuit through the body of the foot.

IVhen the voltaic armor is in use, the flexible strip formed of theseveral element-plates, as above described, will conform to the movementof the foot or other portion of the body and the several platescomposing the same will be rubbed over each other, the flexiblestrippile being capable of movement in any direction. Consequently thesurfaces of the element-plates composing the same will be kept brightand clean and practically free from any oxide, while at the same timethe several plates being exposed to the moisture from the body or othersource will act when forming the circuit to generate a gentle current ofelectricity and will act more positively IOO to produce the same onaccount of the capa bility of the -iiexibility or sliding or frictionalmovement upon and over each other of the several element-platescomposing the pile. At the same time the rivets Z, passing up throughthe sole or support of the armor, provide for a positive contact withthe foot or other part of the body, so insuring the formation of thecurrent through the portion of the body desired, even though theflexible strip forming the batteryis not in contact therewith.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-ent,is-

1. In voltaic armor, a combination of the series of element-plates, eachhaving T-shaped heads and slots into Which the T-shaped heads of theadjoining plates enter, so as to connect the clement-plates together,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In voltaic armor, the combination of the series of element-plates,each having the T- shaped head e, and having the slot f, provid ed withthe elongation 7L extending longitudinally of the plate, so that theplates may be secured together by passing the T-shaped head of one platethrough the elongated portion of the slot in the adjoining plate,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said ALBERT I. SCOTT, have hereunto set myhand.

ALBERT I. SCOTT.

Vitnesses:

M. C. WARNER, J. N. COOKE.

